Strength Loss

Zoiiys started this discussion · 12/14/2013

Hi everyone. I wonder if anyone has the same problems as I do. I always seem to lose arm strength very quickly. For example, I used to be able to do a flag and after about 2 weeks of not doing it, I just completely lost the ability to do so. Same with an aerial invert! I still pole and do other moves, maybe just not those two moves, but I've lost enough strength to lose the ability to those moves so quickly! Do I have to practice those everyday just to maintain strength then?

15 replies

ERIN6907 · 12/14/2013
It's usually just the opposite for me... I seem to do better if I wait a week or two in between practicing the hard tricks. If I try to flag or air invert or iron-x repeatedly my muscles don't allow it. It's like they need to rest and then come back stronger than ever the next time. But maybe my muscles are weird :)
dustbunny · 12/14/2013
I'm the same as Erin. If I'm learning a new trick or working on something that takes a lot of strength, I'll only practice it every couple weeks at the most. I do a lot of "mental" practice in between though if that makes sense. Watching the video (if I recorded my attempts), visualization, and thinking about what I did right, what I did wrong, what I want to do differently next time. I gain strength faster and get the move more consistently that way rather than pushing my muscles to overdoing it.
dustbunny · 12/14/2013
Are you sure it's arm strength...both those moves are very much about core strength as well. :) Maybe you're just doing too much core.
chemgoddess1 · 12/14/2013
Have you lost/gained weight in the last few weeks? Has your diet changed (holidays)? Are you on your period or possibly pregnant? Have you started birth control or changed any supplements/drugs/vitamins? Have you gotten a massage or possibly need an adjustment in your spine? There are so many things that could be going on here. Even holiday stress can have an effect.
Bethany F · 12/14/2013
The idea of losing strength quickly is a common misconception. Although the body tends to loose some endurance fairly quickly initially, strength gains stick around for a lot longer during inactivity than society would have you believe. Its actually really neat! There have been numerous studies that show this. I took this photo last fall because, even though I knew this information logically, it's amazing to see it in practice. I broke my pelvis in May and wasnt able to work out for 3+ months. This photo is at the end of that period of inactivity! You may be dealing with fatigue or energy issues. Or maybe your body just hasnt memorized the movement and positioning for those tricks yet..?
Cherished · 12/14/2013
For myself when I learn a new move in addition to not doing it every few days (probably averaging doing it 2 or sometimes maybe 3 times a week) so my muscles can recover I alternate days where I make sure to incorporate the moves that helped strengthen me for the "big one" in the first place. Example: prior to getting my aerial shoulder mount I was doing a lot of no kick shoulder mounts in freestyle dances and shoulder mount flips during practice. At some point I couldn't practise for a while and lost my Aerial SM so I started back with the SM flips and No-kick-SM's and got it back. After a while though a move will start to stick for me and I won't really need to condition for it with previous moves as much. For example my aerial invert is no longer iffy I can do it really easily even if I haven't been on the pole for weeks. I don't even remember what moves I did right before I got it. You just need to figure out your patterns of practise and rest periouds that work best for your body and also in my opinion make sure your conditioning isn't neglected so you don't over exert yourself and are doing your harder moves based on a solid foundation of strength.
Zoiiys · 12/16/2013
I'm upset cos it seems to me that I'm the only one in class that cannot do it now, and I swear I had done it at home, and then when we do something else in class for a few weeks and I take for granted that I won't lose the ability to do it, and suddenly asked to do it and I couldn't. And I come home and try and nope, absolutely can't do it. Everyone else in class doesn't seem to lose the ability, whether they go to practice or not out of the class. And that's really upsetting to me. With scissors climb, I have to do climbs everyday to prevent me from losing the ability. I can't pole everyday, and repeat the same moves day after day just to prevent ability loss.
luvlee · 12/16/2013
First of all, try not to worry about all the other ladies in class. Easier said than done. Second, try having a protein drink after class! I get mine from Health Food Unlimited. This helped me personal with this issue. Everyone is different but it can't hurt. Third, more than half of pole is in our heads. You may be psyching yourself out! Example: I have a friend and she is taking lessons from me. I saw her do a reverse grab just goofing off!!! I showed her the move and she could not seem to do it again actually trying!!! Lol!!!
AriesWolf · 12/17/2013
I agree with Luvlee, especially if you don't always get enough protein. I'm a vegetarian, so I tend to be lazy about that (especially on days when I don't work out). I noticed that when I made an effort to get more protein in my diet, it was easier to gain strength and maintain it.
nilla · 12/17/2013
I find strength fluctuations are natural for my body. If i'm far past strong enough to do a move then I don't notice the fluctuation, but if I'm doing a new move that's on the edge of my strength level I fluctuate in and out of being strong enough to do the move for about a month. As a rule of thumb, if I've been doing a move consistently for about a week then I figure it will take about a week of not doing the move (or moves similar to it) to lose the ability to do it. If i've been doing the move consistently for two months I figure it will take that long not doing the move to lose it. I'm not sure if that's true for everyone and i haven't tested it with longer time periods of like a year or so (don't want to!) But for the stretches of time that I usually work on moves for, or am out of practice for (due to time constraints or sickness or whatever) it has been a pretty good indicator for me to know what to expect of my body.
Phoenix Hunter · 12/17/2013
Nilla, I fluctuate too with moves that are on the edge of my strength level. it scared me the first time this happened because I am still new and don't want to lose what little I have. haha! I just now figured out that this is what was going on.
Zoiiys · 12/17/2013
Ugh yesterday we did some scorpio climbs and I could not do the aerial invert part. That really sucks. Anyway, there is a three week break before the next class, and I'm going to be on the pole daily now and will try that protein thing. Bought some yesterday! How much to take anyway?
dustbunny · 12/18/2013
Dont forget that overuse and a lack of rest will put you back farther than not practicing at all. Poling everyday is not good for most people. Enjoy the holidays!
Dancing Paws · 12/18/2013
fer me, if I gain weight, I have to gain more strength to do the same moves I could do at a lighter weight (obviously.) Also, when I am on or near my period I lose massive amounts of strength. I just can't do anything, so I don't bother. It probably also is partly that you have a teacher in class to help your technique, but when you are at home, you have to remember what you did and you may be doing something slightly incorrect that is making the move impossible.
Zoiiys · 1/2/2014
Progress report! Well, I've not been trying any aerial inverts or any other moves for the past 2 weeks, but I've been doing the P90x Abs Ripper and invert preps and pole pull ups everyday and I tried today with the aerial invert and I manage to do it, properly too, not just catching the pole at the sole of my foot. I'm going to incorporate that in my workout now. I think for me, I can't stop work outs, or else I'll lose my moves again. Next problem to solve...the pesky calluses, they hurt and have stopped me from poling cos of painful gripping, but that's a story for another day. ;)